January 2009 Grocery Challenge

angelatgraceland

Well I take it that you are working in the week and home weekends? When you have a day off-batchcook a couple of meals such as chilli or spag bol. Put these in the freezer and use them during the week. Over time it will build up-it is a bit of planning and work at first but heres how to do it. Assuming you get 2 days off:
Dayoff 1 batchcook chilli-enough for 8 portions. Eat 2 freeze 6
Dayoff 2 batchcook curry and rice-enough for 8 portions. Eat 2 freeze 6.
You now have 12 portions in the freezer. During the week use one meal of chilli and one of curry for each of you-you now have 8 portions in the freezer.
Dayoff 3: batchcook lasagne-enough for 8 portions(freeze 6 portions)
Dayoff 4 batchcook spag bol(freeze 6 portions)
So at the end of 2 weeks and 4 cooking sessions you will have 20 portions
You now have 4 different meals in the freezer so this is 4 worknights covered. Fom the third week on you can chill out and only batchcook one day per week or until you have sufficient variety and sufficient to feed yourselves.
I suggest 8 portions as its more economical for gas/electric and saves a lot of washing up. Im assuming you have a decent freezer and a microwave. You need to invest in some decent tubs to freeze it in which you can then put into the micro to reheat. I swear by baco tubits. Freeze the cooked stuff when its cold and portioned into tubs. They cannot go into an oven though.
Thats just a few ideas-not counting stuff like pizzas,fish and chips, omellets etc etc. I also batch cook cakes muffins etc and ration them out to last. Some people do this with premade sandwiches too so if you feel inspired you could butter up a loaf, make sarnies and freeze them also.

elizabunny

hannamint wrote: »

I have a problem at the minute, my partner and I end up wasting so much money on take-aways because at the end of my working day i'm just too tired to make an effort (sometimes as late as 9pm). I love cooking and experimenting, i'm only 19 so it doesn't always turn out how i planned it! but we just can't seem to stop wasting our money on a quick food fix. We're both going to end up fat and unhealthy. I just wondered if anyone has any ideas?

hannamint -Well done for all your cooking efforts! Don't worry -It doesn't matter that it doesn't always turn out the way you expected. I've been cooking for 40+ years now and it still doesn't always work out the way I want it to. I think by experimenting and sometimes by not quite suceeding this is how will all learn to be better cooks. I'm sure you will get some great ideas on here, but if it's any help, I 've just re-instated my old slo-cooker/crock pot. This wonderful invention enables you to prepare scrummy and healthy meals well in advance and have them ready and waiting for you, when you get home tired after a busy day. There is a 'What's in my slow cooker' thread in these forums. Sorry I'm not much good at 'linking' to things but if you put in a 'search' I'm sure you will find it. Good luck!

hannamint

thanks for those wonderful ideas. I did do a batch of cooking one day, and it worked quite well, only problem was I used smart price mince and it was horrible so it sorta put me off. I'll have another go on my next day off. If I wasn't so lazy i'd get up in the morning and cook for the night, but sometimes because i finish work so late, I can't sleep till about 2am.. then i don't get up till I absolutely have to.. which is too late to cook! I'll have to make more of an effort on batch cooking i think. clear all my rubbish out of my freezer and fill it with good grub. Thanks so much

clutterydrawer

hannamint wrote: »

I have a problem at the minute, my partner and I end up wasting so much money on take-aways because at the end of my working day i'm just too tired to make an effort (sometimes as late as 9pm). I love cooking and experimenting, i'm only 19 so it doesn't always turn out how i planned it! but we just can't seem to stop wasting our money on a quick food fix. We're both going to end up fat and unhealthy. I just wondered if anyone has any ideas?

What sort of things are you cooking/trying to cook? Batch cooking is great, but also try to learn a few really quick, simple recipes....you can make a stir fry in a few minutes, and toad in the hole is pretty fast too.

hannamint

i tend to do stupid stuff like sweet n sour noodles cuz t'other half loves it and it costs about £1.50. either that or just any old oven bake simple stuff because i just don't have time at the end of the day. i'm contemplating the slow cooker thing but not sure because my brothers house ended up egtting burnt down because they left theirs on or something.. (too young for boring details) but yeah i cook pastas a lot because they're fast, but my partner isn't keen.

booklover

Can I Please Join The January Grocery Challenge? I'm Going To Aim For

£175 For Whole Of January 2009:cool2: as we still have a lot of food in the freezer.

Sorry this is so late but I have been really sick with the flu and a bad ear infection.

A belated Happy and Healthy New Year to everyone! :beer:

Fiona xx

dumpling

Hi,
I did an online shop this week with Sainsbugs and managed to get a whole weeks worth of meals for £71.07 so off to update signature now. I found this a better way to buy what I wanted without getting distracted by 'end of aisle offers' that I hadn't budgeted for. Will still need to buy milk and bread midweek though....if I can clear space in my freezer then I can get a whole weeks worth at once (7 loaves and 24 pints of milk - we LIKE milk in our house!)

hannamint

hey, I just realised that some of you who 'almost' manage nsd would manage it if you thought about what you were buying. Fair enough if it's bread and milk and stuff, but like one person said they managed it except some mushrooms for a veggie lasagne. I don't know for sure, nut perhaps just substitute it with something else so you stick to your goals. Also this stops you 'popping in' and coming out with a basket full. People do it at my work all the time, come in for one thing, but they come out spending a fortune.
I'm not at all criticising, i'm just watching how you all do it so i might join in next time, and noting a few things that crop up. Just thought it might be worth saying to you all what i notice xx

SuziQ

carolt2 wrote: »

Hi there, sorry if you had a reply to this already, i could not see it on thread....

Personally I buy full fat milk and water this down. Its like turning full fat into semi skimmed IYSWIM.

Its up to you how much you water it down by, some people will add 1pint water to 4 pints milk. I usually do 1&half pints water to 4 pints milk.
Doing this means milk lasts longer here.
I tend to buy Mr T's pure milk as it got a long date on it.
ATM its on offer at 2x2litre bottles for £2.60, offer on until end of feb i think.


Also wanting to update spends. Popped to Mr T for a few things last night and spent a total of £11.05

Just be aware that this milk may not be suitable for children under 3,or even under 5 due to the fact you are reducing the calcium content. When milk is skimmed the fat is removed,but in effect the calcium increases slightly. If you water milk down you are diluting ALL of it including the calcium content. I used to work closely with a dietician in an out patients when I was Health Visiting and she was always very clear about this.

angelatgraceland

hannamint wrote: »

hey, I just realised that some of you who 'almost' manage nsd would manage it if you thought about what you were buying. Fair enough if it's bread and milk and stuff, but like one person said they managed it except some mushrooms for a veggie lasagne. I don't know for sure, nut perhaps just substitute it with something else so you stick to your goals. Also this stops you 'popping in' and coming out with a basket full. People do it at my work all the time, come in for one thing, but they come out spending a fortune.
I'm not at all criticising, i'm just watching how you all do it so i might join in next time, and noting a few things that crop up. Just thought it might be worth saying to you all what i notice xx

Yes I agree with you-I'm a substituter rather than one who pops in somewhere for something. If not-I alter my menu. What I cook depends on what I have rather than a recipe. I adapt all recipes-thats the fun of it!